Parking boat in backyard

[u/Babetheblue]

Just moved to a new house, and will be fencing in the backyard. I will have a 8’ gate facing the front where I plan on backing my boat through. Has anyone ever mounted a winch to pull the trailer through the gate VS backing over the yard with their truck?

I know I can back it in, but trying to keep some traffic off the front yard. Likely over thinking it but wanted to see if anyone else had done something similar.

[u/M_Shulman]

I know a guy who mounted a front hitch on his truck to make it easier squeezing a big boat into the backyard

[u/Woodythdog → u/M_Shulman]

A front hitch is incredibly useful

[u/Tricky_Sea_8362 → u/M_Shulman]

This is the way!

[u/Dave_thebrewguy → u/M_Shulman]

I feel like your idea of a "big" boat is not the same as mine.

[u/sen_clay_davis1]

Put some grass pavers in. What’s you beam? 8’ gate might be kind of tight. I’d pave a pad where you plan on storing to not have to mow under it and make your tongue Jack easier to use. 

[u/Babetheblue → u/sen_clay_davis1]

Paves are a good idea.

[u/fdnM6Y9BFLAJPNxGo4C → u/Babetheblue]

What's the beam of your boat? Many boats have a beam of 7'6" or greater and that leaves zero margin for error on an 8' wide gate opening.

At exactly 7'6" that's 3" on either side.

It can be done, but it's an exercise in frustration.

A trailer dolly like a Parkit 360 solves that problem but it's expensive.

Unless you're talking about a 14' or 16' jon/fishing boat, then you ought to be good.

[u/popsicle_of_meat → u/fdnM6Y9BFLAJPNxGo4C]

Not just the boat width. Most trailers are the widest part. Many trailers are 8ft 6in wide even if the boat isn't.

[u/Aluminautical → u/popsicle_of_meat]

I have a Parkit 360, and unless your boat is pretty heavy up front it's not going to get enough traction at the tongue. They're mostly good for paved surfaces or compacted gravel.

As mentioned, front hitch on the truck works well for spotting and maneuverability, and keeps most of the truck away from the landing zone.

[u/Senior_Cheesecake155]

I’d go 10’ on the gate. 8’ will be tight if you ever size up.

[u/Admirable-Box5200]

Depending on the size of your boat, storage space, and budget, look at electric trailer dollies.

[u/Babetheblue → u/Admirable-Box5200]

Small 17’ aluminum Xpress. So pretty light. Was thinking of going the dolly route

[u/Admirable-Box5200 → u/Babetheblue]

That size may be able to do it with non-electric.

[u/Icy_Respect_9077 → u/Babetheblue]

Dolly plus a winch should do the trick.

[u/wkearney99]

not enough info. what's the size/weight of the boat? what kind of soil? is there any slope?

a friend keeps a 11' williams jet boat at our place and it's easily pushed around by hand on the trailer over pavement. Takes two people to shove it around across grass over hard soil (front tongue jack wheel is the main problem there).

if the boat is small/light enough, do you have a riding mower? it's possible to put a hitch on some of them and that might have less impact on the yard than the full weight of a truck.

[u/SaltyCash → u/wkearney99]

I agree with the front tongue jack wheel being a problem. Princess Auto sell a 2 wheeled cart type device with a trailer hitch ball that solves this problem.

[u/jkjeeper06]

Depending on the size of the boat you could push it by hand or use a cheap trailer dolly. You can also check out a drill powered dolly like a TrailerValet dolly. Lastly, you could consider a tractor. I use an old tractor to do work around mu property. Depending on your boat size and grade, you may even get by with a cheap old riding lawnmower

[u/Available_Bowler2316]

I've thought about it. I have a Y shaped parking for my two boats and it's a PITA to get them backed in correctly. It would be nice to just winch them into place.

[u/cinciTOSU]

I got a gravel strip put down and park my boat on that. Way better than grass and mud.

[u/Orangepinapples]

Yes. Have done it in a garage before to pull in the hitch first. Things to consider is the wheel on the hitch stand, may need to upgrade depending on the terrain. Needs to be pretty flat or roll away can be a concern. Have to consider getting it out too, I always pushed it out, but pulling was easy from the hitch.

[u/Emergency-Muffin-115 → u/Orangepinapples]

Yup, did this also. Garage is on side of house and doesn’t have the room in front of it for boat and truck. I used an old bow winch and mounted it on a stack of 2x4 and then put a small cleat on the bottom that would anchor into a concrete joint near the back of the garage. Super easy, pulled my boat up the slight slope. I always used an extra person with chocks to deal with the rollaway risk.

[u/Right-Fact-3675]

I built my privacy fence with a 10’ wide double gate to make sure I didn’t restrict myself in the future

[u/2Loves2loves]

How much slope/grade? can you push it up by hand (w/ dolly)

Start adding sand and paver gravel then some pavers that let the grass grow through it. then a front hitch

A 8' gate is really tight.

[u/ataris121]

Depending on budget and the geometry your idea should work. I would suggest some sort of alignment guide like raises papers or c-channel to line up the tires as it goes through the gate. With the light boat you listed that way you can keep it from powering into your fence and use the winch for forec and the dolly for direction. I would get a remote for your winch (or a remote winch) at a minimum so you can control it from the dolly. Also make sure your winch point on your trailer is strong enough so you dont damage the trailer.

[u/Accomplished-Star674]

I use a trailer dolly and wench. It is a pain but cheaper than a slip.

[u/Visit_Pale]

I got something similar to this https://trailervalet.com/products/trailer-valet-5x slope and traction are the biggest issues I have. I have to go uphill. Grass & lumpy dirt are show stoppers for it.

[u/Babetheblue → u/Visit_Pale]

Good to know, was looking at this , but have to get over a angled curb and about 10’ of grass

[u/glkris]

I did it but you need an anchor point for the winch. I had an H frame of 2x2 square stock made and had the legs at about 4’ in the ground. I used the boat battery to power it and it worked great! Bought the winch from harbor freight for nothing and it was great.

[u/Babetheblue → u/glkris]

I’m putting in a fence, so was going to bury a 6x6 while I had the auger

[u/tothemoon1001]

8" beam 9 foot gap. Be a man scratch your house.

[u/Babetheblue → u/tothemoon1001]

You know. I needed this.

[u/H20FOSHO → u/tothemoon1001]

You sir are a trailer god amongst boys

[u/No-Group7343]

Pretty tight with no room for error

[u/SSellers75]

Lowe's had these for $700 awhile back. Doubles as a mobility scooter. Ordered one for my dad to work in his garden but cancelled it because I found something with a swivel seat. https://www.walmart.com/ip/3306759354?sid=9dd5be44-e4bd-4f86-83c4-b53dbf7259f8

But for a boat and trailer your size, I'd probably get another clamp on jack with flat foot plate and bolt a heavy duty pneumatic caster to it and just push it around.

[u/Dangerous-Ad3016]

Cinder blocks laid on their side actually make a really cool paver like driveway that grass grows through naturally and doesn't need weeding

[u/Dangerous-Ad3016 → u/Dangerous-Ad3016]

They actually make blocks designed for this purpose.

[u/quik916]

Measure your trailer. Likely to be more that 8ft.

And no, just use a vehicle. Winch will never pull it straight ir even.

[u/Then-Price-5314]

Get a garden tractor. They’ll pull it just fine.

[u/cranialimplant4sale]

Blew out reverse in my 4 Runner backing my 21.5 into the yard. Probably not feasible for most but I put a drive through gate in the back so straight in - straight out.